Topic: BW - NSW - Aust H
Australian Horse
Roll of Honour
George Allman Griffen
George Allman Griffen's name on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial
George Allman Griffen
Service number: 367
Rank: Troop Sergeant Major [Tp Sgt Maj]
Unit: First Australian Horse
Service: Colonial Military Forces
Conflict: South Africa, 1899-1902
Date of death: 16 January 1900
Place of death: Slingersfontein
Cause of death: Killed
Source: AWM142 Roll of Honour cards, War in South Africa, 1899-1902.
A brief military biography of George Allman Griffen:
| Regimental number | 367 |
| Date of birth | 1866 |
| Place of birth | Braidwood, New South Wales |
| Religion | |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Address | Gundagai, NSW |
| Marital status | Single |
| Previous Service | |
| Age at embarkation | 33 |
| Next of kin | Father: Mr James Griffen, Braidwood, NSW |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Rank on enlistment | Trumpeter Sergeant Major |
| Unit name | Australian Horse |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Newcastle, NSW, on board SS Langton Grange on 14th November 1899 |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Trumpeter Sergeant Major |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | Australian Horse |
| Fate | Killed in Action, 15 January 1900, Mr Foster's farm at Kleinfontein |
| Place of burial | Colesberg Garden of Rememberance |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 1 |
From - Lieutenant-Colonel P. L. Murray, Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to the War in South Africa, p. 8:
Extract from Report of Major GL Lee, New South Wales Lancers
Monday, 15th January:
About 5.15 p.m I saw Colonel Porter with Warrant Officer Duncan and Private Buckhotz, 1st Australian Horse. The latter reported that Lieutenant Dowling's patrol had been surrounded and cut up, and that he was the only one who had escaped. Warrant-Officer Duncan and two others had been detached by Lieutenant Dowling to examine Foster's farm, and so escaped.
The patrol had reconnoitred, according to instructions and was about returning to camp when Warrant-Officer Duncan with two men was detached to examine Mr Foster's farm at Kleinfontein. After doing so, he went in search of Lieutenant Dowling's party, failing to find them, he concluded they had reed to camp. At 4:30 p.m. I was informed that a Now South males Lancer patrol had, been cut up.
Upon examination it was found that Sqdn. Sergeant-Major Griffin, 1st Australian Horse, had been killed, and Corporal Kilpatrick, New South Wales Lancers; was found severely wounded through the lungs, and lower jaw smashed.
Corporal Kilpatrick expired at 11 a.m.
One officer (Lieutenant Dowling) and 13 men are still missing.
Lest we forget
Further Reading:
New South Wales Lancers, Roll of Honour, Frederick Isaac Kilpatrick
New South Wales Lancers, Roll of Honour
Australian Horse, South African War
1st Australian Horse, Roll of Honour
Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920
Citation: Australian Horse, Roll of Honour, George Allman Griffen
